In the West, not many people eat insects for pleasure, but that is fairly unusual if you consider the number of people and the number of nations in the world that do. In Asia, many individuals consume insects on a weekly or even daily basis. However, you might one day be happy that you read about eating insects, if you are stranded somewhere a long way from any other supply of food.
For example, most army personnel are instructed how to eat worms and insects as part of their routine training course as part of their survival training. Insects are abundant and are easy to catch or trap, they are also a richer source of protein than steak and easier to cook and far less risky to eat raw than meat from mammals, fish or birds.
Insects can provide over three times the quantity of protein weight for weight than any meat or fish. They are also free, you just have to know where to look or how to bait them. However, you ought to not consume just any insect that you can get your hands on. There a few simple fundamental guidelines.
Do not consume anything that can bite or sting you back. Not because this is perilous to you, but because creatures like bees, wasps and some ants simply do not taste pleasant because of the poisons they create for their stings. A notable exception to this rule is the scorpion. Numerous people find roast scorpion a delicacy.
You could improve this rule to merely include brightly coloured, stinging insects - particularly ones with yellow colouring. Furry insects are not tasty either, particularly caterpillars. Flying insects in general, like flies, mosquitoes, blue bottles and the like, ought to be avoided as well.
Big beetles (except cockroaches), grass hoppers, locusts, crickets and scorpions are the best. So are worms, maggots and most other larvae of that sort like bee, wasp and hornet larvae. Termites and non-stinging ants are also safe to eat.
Most people fry the insects in oil or fat after taking off the wings (like with flying termites or ants). However, if you are stuck in the wild, you might not have any oil with you. Luckily, that is not too big a problem if you cook the insects fairly slowly, because most of them have enough of their own body fat to be fried in.
If you find that taking your first meal of insects is just too much to bear, have a go at mashing them in with some boiled root vegetables or wrap them in leaves. Boiled nettle leaves are very good for you and young dandelion leaves can be eaten raw.
If you are uncertain how much to cook your insects, worms and larvae, here are a couple of pointers from Asia. Fry big beetles, termites and scorpions until they are crunchy on the outside but with a small, slightly soft centre. Fry worms, crickets, grass hoppers and the like until they are crunchy and crisp and boil grubs and bee, wasp and hornet larvae for merely a few seconds.
Most Westerners that visit Thailand turn their noses up at eating insects, but after six years of living here, I have never heard any of those who tried them say that they were unpleasant. In fact, most said that they were astonishingly tasty, but then why else would so many people like them?
For example, most army personnel are instructed how to eat worms and insects as part of their routine training course as part of their survival training. Insects are abundant and are easy to catch or trap, they are also a richer source of protein than steak and easier to cook and far less risky to eat raw than meat from mammals, fish or birds.
Insects can provide over three times the quantity of protein weight for weight than any meat or fish. They are also free, you just have to know where to look or how to bait them. However, you ought to not consume just any insect that you can get your hands on. There a few simple fundamental guidelines.
Do not consume anything that can bite or sting you back. Not because this is perilous to you, but because creatures like bees, wasps and some ants simply do not taste pleasant because of the poisons they create for their stings. A notable exception to this rule is the scorpion. Numerous people find roast scorpion a delicacy.
You could improve this rule to merely include brightly coloured, stinging insects - particularly ones with yellow colouring. Furry insects are not tasty either, particularly caterpillars. Flying insects in general, like flies, mosquitoes, blue bottles and the like, ought to be avoided as well.
Big beetles (except cockroaches), grass hoppers, locusts, crickets and scorpions are the best. So are worms, maggots and most other larvae of that sort like bee, wasp and hornet larvae. Termites and non-stinging ants are also safe to eat.
Most people fry the insects in oil or fat after taking off the wings (like with flying termites or ants). However, if you are stuck in the wild, you might not have any oil with you. Luckily, that is not too big a problem if you cook the insects fairly slowly, because most of them have enough of their own body fat to be fried in.
If you find that taking your first meal of insects is just too much to bear, have a go at mashing them in with some boiled root vegetables or wrap them in leaves. Boiled nettle leaves are very good for you and young dandelion leaves can be eaten raw.
If you are uncertain how much to cook your insects, worms and larvae, here are a couple of pointers from Asia. Fry big beetles, termites and scorpions until they are crunchy on the outside but with a small, slightly soft centre. Fry worms, crickets, grass hoppers and the like until they are crunchy and crisp and boil grubs and bee, wasp and hornet larvae for merely a few seconds.
Most Westerners that visit Thailand turn their noses up at eating insects, but after six years of living here, I have never heard any of those who tried them say that they were unpleasant. In fact, most said that they were astonishingly tasty, but then why else would so many people like them?
About the Author:
Owen Jones writes pieces on several topics, but is currently involved with fighting beetles If you are interested too, visit our web site at Electronic Insect Killer.